Politics, governance and security: Reflections on the Nigerian State

Abstract

Elements of Nigerian politics are widely recognized as contributing factors to instability and insecurity, which destroy human societies and impede nation building. At the same time, Governance which is the totality of the processes that constitute a government should serve as the organ that calm the nerves of a people facing instability and insecurity. The history of the Nigerian State shows glaringly the failure of these concepts that factor of insecurity to wit: corruption, assassinations and political vices as power rotation, revenue allocation, state creation, religious/ethnic violence reign supreme. The paper analyses these vices as impediment to state building many years after political independence. It equally holds the political class responsible for state failure so far, giving the spate of violence, insecurity and nauseating feelings of the generality of the citizens.

Keywords: Politics, governance, security.